Effects of auriculotherapy on nausea and vomiting in pregnant women: A randomized clinical trial.

Background: Pregnancy induces physiological changes, commonly marked by nausea and vomiting in the first trimester, posing risks for both mother and baby. This study evaluates the effects of auriculotherapy on nausea and vomiting during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Materials And Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted in two primary health care centers with 56 Brazilian pregnant women who reported nausea or vomiting in the first trimester.

Effect of educational intervention for compliance of school adolescents with the human papillomavirus vaccine.

Objective: to assess the effects of "Piss off, HPV!", an educational intervention to increase adolescents' knowledge, attitude and compliance with human papillomavirus vaccination.

Method: a randomized clinical trial by cluster, carried out in six schools in two municipalities in Ceará, with 238 girls. The control group (n = 120) received routine instructions, and the intervention group (n = 118), printed message cards about the quadrivalent HPV vaccine.

Pilot project. Resveratrol intake by physical active and sedentary older adult women and blood pressure.

Objective: Although the use of resveratrol is widespread, there is a lack of studies concerning its use in older adults who practice regular physical activity. The present study aimed to evaluate how resveratrol influenced anthropometric parameters, heart measures, blood analytes in women participants, aged 60 to 80 years old, distributed in four groups consisting of those who regularly exercise or not, and those who were under resveratrol treatment or not. The older adult women exercised in a Community Center.

Negative impacts of cleaning agent DEPTAL MCL® on activated sludge wastewater treatment system.

DEPTAL MCL® is a professional cleaning agent approved by the Portuguese Food Regulatory Authority and is used in agro-food industries, namely in fish canning industries in the north of Portugal. Its extensive use during cleaning procedures results in potential significant negative impacts on the performance of the downstream municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). A lab-scale extended areation activated sludge wastewater treatment system, continuously fed by influent collected at a municipal WWTP, was used to assess the impact of a range of DEPTAL MCL® concentrations during 72 h.

Exploring electroactive microenvironments in polymer-based nanocomposites to sensitize bacterial cells to low-dose embedded silver nanoparticles.

The search for alternative antimicrobial strategies capable of avoiding resistance mechanisms in bacteria are highly needed due to the alarming emergence of antimicrobial resistance. The application of physical stimuli as a mean of sensitizing bacteria for the action of antimicrobials on otherwise resistant bacteria or by allowing the action of low quantity of antimicrobials may be seen as a breakthrough for such purpose. This work proposes the development of antibacterial nanocomposites using the synergy between the electrically active microenvironments, created by a piezoelectric polymer (poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (PVDF-TrFE)), with green-synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs).

The effect of educational technology use to guide parturient women's companions: a randomized controlled study.

Objective: To evaluate the companion's role during the labor and delivery processes, comparing the influence of the use of an educational technology.

Method: A single-blind randomized controlled study, in which 73 participants were divided into two groups, 35 in the intervention group and 38 in the comparison group. To analyze the groups the chi-square and the Fisher's exact tests were used in categorical variables and the Student's t-test or the Mann-Whitney test in continuous variables.

The first sequenced Sphaerotilus natans bacteriophage- characterization and potential to control its filamentous bacterium host.

Bacteriophages (phages) are ubiquitous entities present in every conceivable habitat as a result of their bacterial parasitism. Their prevalence and impact in the ecology of bacterial communities and their ability to control pathogens make their characterization essential, particularly of new phages, improving knowledge and potential application. The isolation and characterization of a new lytic phage against Sphaerotilus natans strain DSM 6575, named vB_SnaP-R1 (SnaR1), is here described.

Tailoring Bacteria Response by Piezoelectric Stimulation.

Bacteria are simple organisms with a remarkable capacity for survival by adapting to different environments, which is a result of their long evolutionary history. Taking into consideration these adapting mechanisms, this work now investigates the effect of electrically active microenvironments on bacteria and on how this stimulation may trigger bacteria growth inhibition or proliferation. Electrical microenvironments are generated via stimulation of a piezoelectric polymer with a mechanical cue, thus developing an electrical response and a variation on the surface charge of the polymeric material.

Telephone interventions in adherence to receiving the Pap test report: a randomized clinical trial.

Objective: to test the efficacy of the behavioral and educational interventions undertaken by telephone, for women's attendance at the consultation to receive the Pap test report.

Method: a randomized clinical trial, with a sample randomized in three groups: telephone call - educational (n=171), telephone call - reminder (n=171) and comparison (n=169). The inclusion criteria were to be of legal age, to have become sexually active, to undertake the preventive examination during the study and to have a mobile or fixed telephone.

Comparison among the efficacy of interventions for the return rate to receive the pap test report: randomized controlled clinical trial.

Objective:: to test the effects of a behavioral, an educative and a comparative intervention on women's adherence to the return appointment to receive the pap test report.

Methods:: randomized controlled clinical trial at a Primary Health Care Service, involving three groups: EG (educative session and test demonstration), BG (recall ribbon) and standard intervention (card containing the return appointment - graphical reminder), called comparative group here (CG). To select the sample, the following was established: having started sexual activity and undergoing the pap smear during the study, resulting in 775 women.

Telephone interventions for adherence to colpocytological examination.

Objective: to test the effects of behavioral and educational intervention by telephone on adherence of women with inappropriate periodicity to colpocytological examination.

Method: quasi-experimental study with a sample of 524 women, selected with the following inclusion criteria: be aged between 25 and 64 years, have initiated sexual activity, have inappropriate periodicity of examination and have mobile or landline phone. The women were divided into two groups for application of behavioral and educational intervention by telephone.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of the smear test and its relation with female age.

Objective: to verify the association among the knowledge attitude and practice of women in relation to the smear test and the age range.

Method: a cross-sectional research was undertaken, associated with the knowledge, attitude and practice survey at a Primary Health Care service. The sample consisted of 775 women, distributed in three age ranges: adolescent, young and elderly.

Discrimination of bacteriophage infected cells using locked nucleic acid fluorescent in situ hybridization (LNA-FISH).

Bacteriophage-host interaction studies in biofilm structures are still challenging due to the technical limitations of traditional methods. The aim of this study was to provide a direct fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method based on locked nucleic acid (LNA) probes, which targets the phage replication phase, allowing the study of population dynamics during infection. Bacteriophages specific for two biofilm-forming bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter, were selected.

Study of 16 Portuguese activated sludge systems based on filamentous bacteria populations and their relationships with environmental parameters.

A survey in 16 activated sludge wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) was conducted to contribute to the knowledge of the environmental parameters that determine the composition of the filamentous community. A total of 128 samples of mixed liquor from municipal WWTP were collected during 2 years, and 22 filamentous morphotypes were identified. The most frequent and abundant filamentous bacteria were, in both cases and by this order, type 0041/0675, type 0092, Microthrix parvicella and 1851, nocardioforms and Haliscomenobacter hydrossis.

Bovine lactoferrin induces cell cycle arrest and inhibits mTOR signaling in breast cancer cells.

Lactoferrin (LF) is predominantly found in mammalian secretions with recognized anticancer potential, although the mechanisms involved in such activity are still unclear. Here, the stability, internalization, and cytotoxicity of bovine LF (bLF) and its variants were tested against a panel of breast cancer cells. bLF was found to be very stable under incubation with cells and also able to internalize them, although most of the protein remained in the culture medium.

Relationship between protozoan and metazoan communities and operation and performance parameters in a textile sewage activated sludge system.

The present study aims at investigating the possibility of assessing performance and depuration conditions of an activated sludge wastewater treatment plant through an exploration of the microfauna. The plant, receiving textile industrial (70%) and domestic (30%) sewage, consists of a two-step biological depurating plant, with activated sludge followed by a percolating system. A total of 35 samples were analyzed during five months, and 30 taxa of protozoa and small metazoa were found.

Use of an aerobic selector to overcome filamentous bulking in an activated sludge wastewater treatment plant.

An urban wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) with two different parallel lines of treatment and located in the north of Portugal was studied during four months, following recurrent episodes of filamentous bulking caused by Sphaerotilus natans and eventual occurrences of Nocardioforms and Type 1863. An aerobic selector was introduced in both lines in the beginning of the studied period, suppressed in one of the lines during six weeks, and then put into operation again until the end of the study. A total of 14 filamentous bacteria morphotypes were identified.

A flat microbial fuel cell for decentralized wastewater valorization: process performance and optimization potential.

A very compact flat microbial fuel cell (MFC), with 64 cm2 each for the anode surface and the cathode surface and 1 cm3 each for the anode and cathode chambers, was tested for wastewater treatment with simultaneous electricity production with the ultimate goal of implementing an autonomous service in decentralized wastewater treatment systems. The MFC was operated with municipal wastewater in sequencing batch reactor mode with re-circulation. Current densities up to 407 W/m3 and a carbon removal of 83% were obtained.

Improvements on colony morphology identification towards bacterial profiling.

Colony morphology may be an indicator of phenotypic variation, this being an important adaptive process adopted by bacteria to overcome environmental stressors. Furthermore, alterations in colony traits may reflect increased virulence and antimicrobial resistance. Despite the potential relevance of using colony morphological traits, the influence of experimental conditions on colony morphogenesis has been scarcely studied in detail.

[Risk factors for cancer of the cervix in women prisoners].

The study aimed to identify risk factors for the development of cervical cancer in women prisoners. Cross sectional study with a quantitative approach carried out in a female penal institute on the state of Ceará, Brazil. The selection of the sample occurred according to the availability of female prisoners at the time of collection, with a total of 36 women prisoners.

Biofilm formation with mixed cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa/Escherichia coli on silicone using artificial urine to mimic urinary catheters.

In this study, single and dual species biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, two common bacteria associated with urinary tract infections, were formed in silicon coupons immersed in artificial urine medium. In single species experiments, E. coli appeared to form biofilms more easily than P.

[Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding condom use among women prisoners: the prevention of STD/HIV in the prison setting].

The objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices of women prisoners regarding the use of female and male condoms as a means of prevention against STD/HIV. This quantitative and evaluative Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) study included 155 female prisoners. Data collection was performed between January and March 2010 at the State of Ceará Women's Penitentiary.

Presence of high-grade intraepithelial lesions among women deprived of their liberty: a documental study.

The aim of this study was to analyze the results of the Pap smears of women deprived of their liberty. It is a retrospective, documental study, with a quantitative approach, performed in a female prison of Ceará, Brazil, with a sample of 672 patient records. Regarding the microbiological findings, it was verified that the main cervical-vaginal colonization was by bacilli suggestive of Gardnerella/Mobiluncus (21.

Influence of the organic loading rate on the growth of Galactomyces geotrichum in activated sludge.

Recent studies reporting on the useful implementation of fungi in wastewater treatment plants triggered the need to improve fungi based systems. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the conditions that promote their selection. The present work aims to study the effect of the organic loading rate on the growth of filamentous fungi.

Cytotoxic effects of native and recombinant frutalin, a plant galactose-binding lectin, on HeLa cervical cancer cells.

Frutalin is the α-D-galactose-binding lectin isolated from breadfruit seeds. Frutalin was obtained from two different sources: native frutalin was purified from its natural origin, and recombinant frutalin was produced and purified from Pichia pastoris. This work aimed to study and compare the effect of native and recombinant frutalin on HeLa cervical cancer cells proliferation and apoptosis.